Created in 1978, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, a nonprofit that handles economic negotiations for the City of Detroit, provides staff and operation services for seven development entities in the city. The result? The DEGC oversees a mishmash of acronyms, and, by extension, the use of a lot of public money. Figures are based on most recent numbers available. These boards meet either monthly, bimonthly, or twice a year; dates of meetings can be found at www.degc.org.
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Created: 1978
What it is: A 501(c)(4) with the stated purpose of bringing economic development to the city of Detroit.
Amount received through city contracts annually: $4.6 million
Board of Directors: Roderick Gillum, Jackson Lewis LLP; Marvin Beatty, Greektown Casino; Mike Duggan, Mayor of Detroit (ex officio); John Blanchard, General Motors; David Blaszkiewicz, Invest Detroit; William Brooks, R&D Development, LLC; Tim Bryan, GalaxE.Solutions; David Carroll, Quicken Loans/Rock Financial; Michael Curis, Curis Enterprises; Leon Darga, Deloitte Consulting, LLP; Sonya Delley, Flagstar Bank; Eva Garza Dewaelsche, SER Metro-Detroit; K. Scott Doyle, Huntington National Bank; Juliette Okotie-Eboh, MGM Grand Detroit Casino; Alton Gunn, Detroit Medical Center; Lydia Gutierrez, Hacienda Mexican Foods; Willie Hampton, SEIU Local 79; Tanya Heidelberg, Linked Learning Detroit; Kenneth Harris, Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce; George Hill, Diversified Chemicals; Rodrick Miller, DEGC President and CEO (ex officio); Brenda Jones, Detroit City Council (ex officio); Marshall Kleven, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Thomas Lewand Jr., Detroit Lions; Thomas Lewand Sr., City of Detroit Jobs & Economic Growth Department (ex officio); David Baker Lewis, Lewis & Munday; Daniel Loepp, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Conrad Mallett, Detroit Medical Center Sinai Grace-Hospital; Joseph Melnick, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn; Reuben Munday, Lewis & Munday; Josh Opperer, Esq., Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn; Cindy Pasky, Strategic Staffing Solutions; Lonnie Peek Jr., eBusiness Strategies; James Perna, Health One Community Credit Union; Gary Peters, U.S. House of Representatives; Dr. Irvin D. Reid, Wayne State University; Kathryn Reid, Comerica; Douglas Rothwell, Business Leaders of Michigan; Rex E. Schlaybaugh Jr., Dykema Gossett PLLC; Ron Scott, 3 Wheel Run, Inc.; David Segura, Vision IT; Dan Stamper, Central Transport International; Denise Starr, Compuware Corporation; Larry Steward, DTE Energy Corporation; Tony Stovall, Hot Sam's; Terrence Thomas, Sr., Thomas Group Consulting; Michael Tyson, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work; James Vella, Ford Motor Co. Fund; Walter C. Watkins Jr., WCW Enterprises LLC; Steven White, Detroit Renewable Energy; Geneva J. Williams, New Season Consultants & Collaborators LLC; Jacci Woods, Motor City Casino; Donna Zalewski, ITC Holdings Corp.; Mary Zuckerman, St. John Providence Health System
Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (DBRA)
Created: 1998
What it is: A development agency that seeks to spur redevelopment on properties in Detroit that are considered blighted or functionally obsolete, through established brownfield zones, tax-increment financing reimbursements, and more.
Contribution to DEGC through contract: $250,000
Detroit Downtown Development Authority (DDA)
Created: 1976
What it is: A development agency established to spur economic development in Detroit's downtown business district.
Contribution to DEGC through contract: $1.5 million
Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC)
Created: 1981
What it is: A development agency that assists in creating plans for industrial and commercial projects in areas of the city. EDC subsidiary the Neighborhood Development Corporation of Detroit (NDC) focuses on attracting housing and neighborhood programs in the city.
Contribution to DEGC through contract: $650,000
Eight Mile Woodward Corridor Improvement Authority (EMWCIA)
Created: 2008
What it is: An authority established to oversee the development of the southeast corner of Eight Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, including the new Gateway Marketplace
Contribution to DEGC through contract: $50,000
Detroit Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA)
Created: 1988
What it is: The LDFA was established to facilitate the creation of the so-called "Jefferson/Conner Industrial Revitalization Project," which includes Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant.
Contribution to DEGC through contract: $125,000
City of Detroit Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA)
Created: 1982
What it is: An authority established to acquire property and assist in the creation of the GM Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly Facility — better known as the Poletown plant.
Contribution to DEGC through contract: $0
Sources: Michigan Treasury local unit audit reports, DEGC.org, City of Detroit.
